Philonix fulvicollis Fitch, 1859(1858), sexual generation

Comments. Kinsey (1930) transferred Dryophanta pallipes Bassett, 1900 to Philonix and proposed it as the sexual generation of P. fulvicollis, although no justification for this synonymy was provided. Weld (1959) wrote that P. pallipes might be well a synonym of Acraspis gemula. Melika & Abrahamson (2002) compared the three specimens of P. pallipes (from Beutenmueller collection, USNM, Washington, DC) with the paratypes of the sexual generation of A. gemula and found no differences, thus Philonix pallipes was synonymized with A. gemula.

Acraspis gemula

Quercus alba, bicolor, macrocarpa, prinoides, prinus [montana]
Bud galls
Oval, black, at apex of new growth, 2.5 by 1.25 mm, in May.

"Like Acraspis gemula"

Quercus margaretta, michauxii, stellata
Bud galls

[Photo caption]
On Q alba. Also on Q prinoides, prinus [montana], bicolor, macrocarpa, margaretta. Adults emerged Apr 2-3 1945; May 5, 1935, Apr 27, 1927 (DC); Apr 20-25 (IL).

Philonix pallipes

Quercus alba
Bud galls
Black, at apex of new growth, like gemula in shape, surrounded by thread-like bodies. May. Included from lit.

[Photo caption]
Q alba. Similar to Fig 108 [Acraspis gemula] but with thread-like bodies about its base, blackish-brown, 2.25 mm long. Adults in May.

Diplolepis gemula

Collected galls on Quercus alba at Winnetka, IL., on June 9, 1917, when most of the flies had already emerged. Galls at Ravinia contained pupae on May 23, 1919. A similar gall exists on bicolor and macrocarpa in the Chicago area and in the South on prinus, stellata, margaretta, and montana.

Dryophanta pallipes

Oblong, oval, thin-shelled, blackish-brown galls among the thrifty young buds and surrounded by six or more long, brown, threadlike bodies, length 2.5 mm, diameter 1.5 mm, on Q alba.

Cynips gemula, n. sp.

This species is a recent discovery of mine, having escaped detection on account of its early appearance and minute size. The gall is found in the centre of both the flowering and leaf buds of Q prinoides. It is fully developed when the sterile flowers of this species of oak are in bloom. Only one gall is found in a single bud. It is exactly like an ordinary acorn in shape, having a truncate base and a cone-like extremity with a sharp point at the apex. It is a dull blackish color, and only .1 of an inch in length and 0.05 in diameter. It contains but one larva. When the gall happens to be in a leaf bud it is often found at the summit of a young branch one or two inches long, so rapid is the growth of the tree at this season. In the flower buds it is often nearly hidden in the surrounding bud scales. The insects appear in both sexes about the middle of May.

Dryophanta pallipes n. sp.

Galls.--The rapid Spring growth of thrifty young white oak shoots is sometimes suddenly checked by the appearance of this gall at their apex. The gall does not prevent the developed of the leaves below it, but immediately surrounding its base half a dozen of more brown, thread-like bodies from three-fourths of an inch to an inch and a half in length appear. Occasionally two or more of these are narrowly strapped in shape, and suggest that they are all undeveloped leaves. The gall, a mere larval cell at the center of this cluster, is blackish brown, thin shelled, oblong-oval, 0.9 of an inch in length and 0.6 in diameter. The insect emerges from the apex of the cell, leaving it resembling an eggshell with the end removed. This is a rare species, though I have found it in a certain locality several years.

CT, sexgen

Dryophanta pallipes

Gall: Among the buds of thrifty young shoots of white oak (Quercus alba) early in May. The gall is oblong oval, thin-shelled and of a blackish brown color. It does not prevent the developed of the leaves below it, but immediately surrounding its base half a dozen or more long, brown thread-like bodies appear. The fly emerges from the apex of the cell, leaving it resembling a miniature egg-shell with the end removed. Length about 2.5 mm; diameter about 1.5 mm.

Habitat: CT, NY, NJ, PA

The flies emerged from the gall during May.